Collaborative computing allows a multitude of individuals to interact with each other through utilizing desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices, or other types of computing systems in a collaboration session. Instant messaging chat sessions are an important part of collaboration sessions. Chat sessions are implemented with computing devices utilizing collaboration software (i.e. an instant messaging or web conferencing program) that are connected through a network. The amount of individuals in a chat session can include a large number of individuals, down to as many as two individuals.
In many examples, chat sessions can be used for group discussions. In such examples, many individuals in the chat sessions can be discussing different topics with certain individuals in the chat session. An individual can use a directed message to send a message to a specific individual in the chat session. Directed messages can allow individuals to pose questions to a specific individual in the chat session, or to answer a question posed by another specific individual in the chat session.